Seven individuals with ties to the University of California have been named recipients of the 2025 MacArthur Foundation fellowships, commonly referred to as “genius grants.” The group includes six alumni and one current faculty member from UC campuses. The fellowship awards $800,000 in unrestricted funding to each recipient, supporting their work across a range of disciplines.
The MacArthur Foundation’s vice president of communications, Kristen Mack, said: “The 2025 MacArthur Fellows expand the boundaries of knowledge, artistry, and human understanding. They focus our attention on microbial worlds and distant stars, community vitality and timeless traditions, sacred and improvisational music, and shared histories of our time on Earth. With virtuosity, persistence, and courage, they chart new paths toward collaborative, creative, and flourishing futures.”
This year’s UC-affiliated fellows include Teresa Puthussery (UC Berkeley), Kareem El-Badry (UC Berkeley alum), William Tarpeh (UC Berkeley alum), Garrett Bradley (UCLA alumna), Gala Porras-Kim (UCLA alumna), Toby Kiers (UC Davis alumna), and Tuan Andrew Nguyen (UC Irvine alumnus).
Teresa Puthussery is an associate professor at UC Berkeley’s Herbert Wertheim School of Optometry & Vision Science. Her research explores how neural circuits in the retina encode visual information for the brain. Upon learning about her selection for the fellowship she said: “It wasn’t until they started reading out a description of my work that I was convinced that they had called the right person. It’s certainly just really unexpected, and so humbling and gratifying.” Puthussery uses molecular analyses and functional imaging to study healthy retinal cells as well as disruptions caused by neurodegenerative diseases.
Kareem El-Badry is recognized for his contributions to astrophysics focusing on binary star systems and black holes. He earned his Ph.D. from UC Berkeley in 2021. His research employs computational simulations to examine galaxy formation and stellar evolution. El-Badry stated: “I appreciate that both awards [Sloan and MacArthur] come with minimal restrictions, giving me the opportunity to explore new or potentially risky projects that would be harder to get funded through a federal grant. At all stages in a research career, I think it’s important to look for opportunities to branch out and try something new.”
William Tarpeh graduated from UC Berkeley before becoming an assistant professor at Stanford University. His work centers on sustainable methods for treating wastewater by recovering resources such as nitrogen using energy-efficient technologies. He commented: “I am honored to be included in the MacArthur community of leaders committed to understanding and improving our world… I am excited to continue the work of redefining wastewater and creating circular, sustainable methods for improving quality of life while protecting the environment for generations to come.”
Garrett Bradley is an artist who earned her master’s degree at UCLA School of Theater, Film & Television in 2012. She is known for blending documentary styles with narrative cinema in her exploration of justice and public memory.
Gala Porras-Kim holds both bachelor’s and master’s degrees from UCLA. She creates installations that address how cultural artifacts are interpreted within museums.
Toby Kiers received her doctorate from UC Davis in 2005 with research focused on symbiotic relationships between plants, fungi, and microbes.
Tuan Andrew Nguyen is an alumnus of UC Irvine’s Claire Trevor School of the Arts whose films address themes related to war, displacement, resistance, memory, and healing.
Since its inception in 1981 more than 100 UC alumni or faculty have received MacArthur Fellowships; since 2020 nearly one quarter of recipients have been affiliated with UC.
